October 14, 2001	Sunday	Rajab 26, 1422

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SUKKUR, Oct 13: Over 200 workers of Jamiat Ulema Islam and Jamaat-i-Islami were arrested in Jacobabad on Saturday in a crackdown on religious activists to preempt their plan to siege Jacobabad airport as part of their protest.

Condemning the arrests, the provincial information secretary of JUI, Javed Anwar Channa, said the party would take out a rally on Sunday despite the arrests.

He claimed that more than 250 activists had been rounded up from Jacobabad, Thul, Kandhkot, and other parts of Sindh to preempt tomorrow’s sit-in.

According to sources, contingents of police raided the JUI and JI offices and arrested the JUI and JI leaders including Dr A.G. Ansari, Hafiz Mir Mohammad Banglani, Syed Mir Mohammad Shah and Abdul Hafeez Bijarani.

The JI leaders of Jacobabad were later released on the intervention of district Nazim Shabbir Ahmed Bijarani who assured the administration that the activists would not take part in the protest. However, the JUI workers had not been released till the filing of this report.

Meanwhile, the administration has begun strict checking of all vehicles plying on Jacobabad-Quetta Road and all people who could not give proper reasons to visit Jacobabad were sent back by the personnel of law enforcement agencies.

According to official sources, over 2,000 police personnel had been summoned from other districts of Sindh. All entry and exit points of Jacobabad had been sealed.

The US planes were seen flying and landing at the airport on the sixth consecutive day. Army Jawans have taken positions atop nearby buildings while power supply to adjoining has been suspended.